No need to worry about Graham Patrick Martin, said co-star Nancy Travis, who keeps a close eye on the Metairie lad.

"I adore him," said Travis, who plays Martin's TV mom on TBS's "The Bill Engvall Show." "I hope my own sons can grow up to be like him, just a very polite, mature -- and this is going to sound odd -- but age-appropriate young man. He's 16 years old, but he still has the innocence of a 16-year-old, and he's not trying to be anything that he's not.

"Which, in this town, is a hard thing to find."

The town Travis refers to is Hollywood, and her confident testimony to Martin's character came at a party there during the recent July TV Tour.

The last two original episodes of the current second-season run of the "Engvall" show air at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. tonight. (A couple of more are being held until later in the year.)

Thibodaux-born, Martin won his first acting role in a Metairie Park Country Day School production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," then moved on to the Southern Repertory Theater.

After relocating to New York with his family, Martin won roles on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and the indie film "The Girl Next Door."

He scored "Engvall," the family sitcom where he plays middle child to characters played by Travis and the title star, on his first Los Angeles audition.

"Right from the get-go, I thought there was something very promising about Graham," Travis said. "I think he's got an innate instinct as an actor, and to be able to come in and play the role he's playing on this show without making it overly cliche is hard.

"For a kid who took a drama class -- I'm guessing to meet girls -- he's really responsible and has stepped to the plate and is taking it very seriously."

Martin, who surfs Malibu's Zuma Beach weekly with pals, appears to have only one character flaw: fanatical devotion to the New Orleans Saints.

"Last season was really tough for me, because we were always so close," said Martin, during the same TV Tour party Travis attended. "It was always right there. It was a really woulda-shoulda-coulda type of season. Between injuries and everything, it was difficult for us."

But -- say it with me Saints fans -- there's always next season.

"I think they definitely improved the defense," Martin said. "I'm really stoked about (free agent cornerback) Randall Gay and (new linebacker) Jonathan Vilma. I think (they're) going to help us out a lot. I was really excited about (linebacker) Dan Morgan, then he decided to retire.

"I go on www.nfl.com and www.neworleanssaints.com every single day of my life. I never miss a story. I'm always on top of it."

Martin said he intends to attend at least one Saints game a month during the season -- "We still have season tickets," he said -- and among the players Martin will be rooting for is one with whom the young actor recently had a close airline encounter.

"I was on a plane back from New Orleans, and I'm walking back from the bathroom and I see Scott Fujita, and my heart, dude, it was like, 'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,'¤" Martin said. "We get off the plane. I didn't see him or anything. I was like, 'It's cool. At least I saw him.

"And then I'm waiting outside for my mom to come pick me up and I see him waiting for the rental-car truck to come up. So I go up. 'I just have to say, my name is Graham Martin and you're one of my favorite players on the Saints.' He's like, 'Oh, really? Thank you.'

"I didn't tell him that I was on a show or anything. But I just let him know I was a fan. Such a nice guy, and his bicep was the size of my head."

Which won't grow to linebacker-bicep size too quickly, at least as long as Martin is around Travis.

"I try to keep it all level," she said. "At this age, it's too young to be coming into this business, and none of it's real. I try to (let him) know to take it seriously but don't take it that seriously. Don't let it define you.

"I think Graham has got a good shot at not losing himself.

"He sends gifts and cards and thank-yous. His parents have done well."